Pong is one of the first games to make it big in arcades, debuting to the world in 1972. With simple 2D, black and white graphics, this table tennis simulation game was also one of the first games to reach
mainstream popularity and was the first commercially successful video game.

Pong is credited with forever changing the gaming industry for the better. Since its release, it has been ported onto multiple home and handheld consoles. For many, Pong was the first competitive multiplayer experience, solidifying Pong as one of the top video games of all time.

Words with Friends is currently available on five different platforms. The crossword puzzle game was released in 2009, and thanks to Facebook integration, it quickly became one of the most popular mobile games available.

Words with Friends brought people from all over the world together, by allowing people to use words they didn't know existed. Tell us what "Qi" means? Tell us!

Pitfall! was released in 1982, and has sold over 4 million copies to date. It's the second best-selling game for the Atari 2600. Gamers take the role of Pitfall Harry as he navigates through a jungle to collect 32 treasures in 20 minutes. Along the way he faces crocodiles, quicksand, and you guessed it, pits.
Over the years Pitfall! has been released on numerous consoles, but it's the Atari 2600 cartridge that holds a place in our hearts.

NBA 2K11 is one of the greatest basketball games out there. Leaps and bounds (and slam-dunks) better than its predecessor, NBA 2K11 brought a lot to the court such as the "Jordan Challenge" which allowed players to replay key moments in Jordan's career and the ability to play as classic teams.
The broadcast components of NBA 2K11 are top notch; confusing many people into thinking they were watching an actual game. Released in 2010, this title still sets the bar in which all other basketball games have yet to match.

Guitar Hero 2 accomplished the unthinkable; they somehow managed to make air guitar even cooler. In 2006 Activision released Guitar Hero 2, improving the original in every way. They raised the rock stakes by adding three note chords and specialized fret techniques, making every player a rockstar.
Thanks to the first game's success, Guitar Hero 2 boasted an all-star library of songs. Bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rage Against the Machine, Rush and even Spinal Tap made their way to America's living rooms.

What time is it? It's BurgerTime! Arcades across America got more delicious in 1982 when BurgerTime made its debut. Gamers took the role of Chef Peter Pepper, a burger chef who has made a few enemies, Mr. Pickle, Mr. Hot Dog, and Mr. Egg. Over the course of six levels, BurgerTime became increasingly stressful, even for the most seasoned burger chefs.

BurgerTime remains an American gaming classic and has become iconic of the arcade era. It has been ported to numerous computers, consoles and handheld devices over the last three decades.

Time traveling and United States politics? We must be talking about Indie darling, Braid. Don't be fooled by game's cute art style, this puzzle-platformer is nothing short of mind-bending.
Braid is the onion of video games, it has many layers. To the untrained gamer, Braid is a game about a hero, Tim, and his quest to find a missing princess. If you look deeper, Braid is about a scientist who created the atomic bomb. This complicated and intriguing narrative ensures Braid's spot on our list of Top Video Games.

Star Wars: TIE Fighter was the first game to let gamers join the villainous Galactic Empire. Released in 1994, Star Wars: TIE Fighter was the sequel to Star Wars: X-Wing, but unlike X-Wing, TIE Fighter sported an upgraded flight engine. TIE Fighter is arguably the best space flight simulator ever developed.
Gamers assume the role of a rookie fighter pilot in the Empire's fleet. Despite being the "bad guys," the Empire fleet they were the guardians of order. The ability to see both sides of the galactic war was a turning point for the Star Wars series.

Over 30 years ago an arcade game was released that would forever change the gaming world. That game is Galaga. Even the most hardcore Galaga fans may not know that the game was actually a sequel to "Galaxian." Like Space Invaders, Galaga pit gamers against an invading alien fleet.
To date, nearly 20 versions of Galaga, on 20 different platforms, have been released.

If you enjoyed playing God, then we're sure you were a fan of The Sims. Technically, The Sims is a strategic life-simulation video game, but when you put it that way it takes away from how truly twisted The Sims can be. Players can take control of a Sim, a Sim family, even an entire Sim neighborhood, controlling their every move.
The Sims eventually made its way from PCs to consoles with ports for the Xbox, PS2 and GameCube. It surpassed Myst as the best selling PC game of all time. With seven expansions, you could still be playing The Sims!

IBaldur's Gate 2: Shadow of Amn set the bar for what an RPG should be. Like the first Baldur's Gate, Shadow of Amn had compelling characters and interactive quests. Baldur's Gate 2 followed the story of the first game, with player takes the role of Jon Irenicus.
Baldur's Gate 2 was met with critical and commercial success when it was released in 2000, and the same is true 12 years later. The game remains a standard for the RPG genre and a fan favorite.

Pills here! Now that we have your attention, let's talk about Valve's zombie masterpiece, Left 4 Dead. Horror survival, first person shooter, Left 4 Dead, forced gamers to work together as a team, or else be left for dead.
Left 4 Dead delivered one of a kind gameplay thanks to its incredibly AI and film like presentation. Each match could be played with up to 4 people, took about an hour, and also ended with an attack by a special zombie called a Tank.

Of course the most memorable sports game from the NES generation made the list, we're talking about Double Dribble. Thanks to the addition of cutscenes, the NES version of Double Dribble caught gamers' eyes. Double Dribble was originally released in the arcades in 1986.
Double Dribble lacked the support of the NBA. Some might consider this a major flaw, while others, like us, would say non-official teams like the Boston Frogs, are much more fun to play as!

Mass Effect 2 was arguably the best game of 2010, but hands-down, it was the best RPG. Mass Effect 2 picked up after the events of Mass Effect, continuing the story of Commander Shepard as she attempted to save all sentient life from the Reapers. This time she joined up with Cerberus and the Illusive Man to take out a new enemy, The Collectors.
Mass Effect 2 embodies what a sci-fi RPG should be. BioWare revamped the game's combat, inventory, and dialogue systems, ensuring the game would appeal to more gamers than the first. The Dirty Dozen plot, cast of new characters, and immersive gameplay, will keep Mass Effect 2 in our hearts and on this list, for years to come.

This driving game may have caused its players to drop some drawmahimne. If you were one of them, don't fret, Outrun had that affect on people. Outrun hit arcades in 1986, and boasted a sit-down, cockpit-style design that allowed gamers to feel like they were part of the action. At the time, this feature was revolutionary, which meant for many nauseous gamers.
Looking back, it was Outrun's over-the-top, less than realistic crashes that we remember. Current-gen racing games owe their mechanics, speed and popularity to Outrun.

Silent Hill 2 is survival horror masterpiece, there, we said it. 2001 got a little bit scarier when Silent Hill 2 was released, introducing the story of James Sunderland and his quest to uncover the mystery behind his wife's death. The search leads him to a foggy little town called Silent Hill.
Silent Hill 2 has a dark and creepy art style. You really don't know what's going to jump out at you next. A chilling soundtrack topped off the game's sense of dread. To this day, Silent Hill 2 is a game many play with the lights on.

Thanks to being bundled with the Nintend Wii, Wii Sports was the most played, and loved, Wii game. Using the wii remote and the nunchuck attachment, entire families were able to turn their living rooms in a baseball field or a bowling alley.
Wii Sports wasn't just a game, it was a proof of concept, showing the entire world what the Wii's motion controls were capable of. Wii Sports is the best selling Wii game. Worldwide, the game sold 80 million copies, if you include both individual copies and bundled copies.

Ninja Gaiden is called many things. In Japan it's called Ninja Dragon Sword Legend and in Europe it's called Shadow Warriors. Here at G4 we call it #83 on our list of the Top Video Games.
Ninja Gaiden's roots are in the arcades with Tecmo's original release of the side-scroller in 1989. The game stars a ninja tasked with defeating an evil cult hell-bent on destroying the world. Over the past two decades, Ninja Gaiden has seen several ports across varriois platforms, making sure gamers in every generation know the ninja way.

Nintendo released a game changer when they set free Super Smash Bros Melee. In 2001 the GameCube caught some serious momentum thanks to Nintendo's brawler. The follow-up to the Super Smash Bros. 64 immediately resonated with gamers. And how could it not? You could beat up Jigglypuff!
Super Smash Bros. Melee's roster was the who's who of Nintendo games. Fan favorites like Star Fox, Princess Zelda, Donkey Kong and Captain Falcon. Super Smash Bros. Melee was the GameCube's best selling game.

Capcom's Resident Evil series has been responsible for the death of countless zombies. The original Resident Evil is also credited with ushering in the survival horror genre, when it was released in 1996. Third-person gameplay and devious puzzles weren't enough though, Resident Evil also introduced the world to zombie dogs, a fan favorite that lives on to this day.
Resident Evil places players as elite team members investigating a mysterious mansion, only to be attacked at every turn by creatures of unknown origin. The Umbrella Corporation makes its debut, and the combination of audio, gameplay, atmosphere and story, made Resident Evil one of the best survival horror games ever!